"Many changes have gone into the SUSE Linux operating system since version 10.1, including a name change: the entire operating system is now known only as openSUSE. All of those changes appear to have been for the better - openSUSE 10.2 is as great a release as 10 was - but despite the improvements and bug fixes, there are still several underlying problems that prevent openSUSE 10.2 from being competitive with commercial desktop operating systems."

Yes are right about using live discs to test hardware. Ubuntu indeed has the alternate installation disc, but the last time I used it, you did not have any choice with regards to package selection like you do in openSUSE, Fedora, Mandriva etc.